Shoe press



H. R. POLLEYS Sep't. 8, 1953 SHOE PRESS 5. SheetsSheet 3 Filed Aug. 1a, 1948 LCIII ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 8, 1953 SHOE PRESS Herbert R. Pcleys, New Haven, Conn., assignor to United States Rubber Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application August 18, 1948, Serial No. 44,959

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved footwear pressing machine comprising two relatively thin elastic impervious sheet diaphragms, which are adapted to form an envelope around a laminated article of footwear and compact the plastic and fabric layers of material thereof upon the evacuation of the atmosphere from the envelope. The invention relates particularly to the diaphragm mountings and the power operated mechanism for operating one of the diaphragms to close and open the envelope formed therebetween upon a predetermined time cycle.

Heretofore shoe pressing machines have consisted of a stationary diaphragm and a pivoted diaphragm adapted to form a sealed envelope around the shoe which was pressed by the evacuation of the atmosphere from the envelope. The pivoted diaphragm in such machines was operated manually, and the time each shoe remained in the sealed envelope might be different due to the personal error of the operator. This resulted in some of the shoes being removed from the press before they were sufciently pressed, and others remaining in the press longer than necessary, which caused defective articles or a loss of production time for both the machine and the operator. Such prior machines also entailed a further loss in time required to change diaphragms when they became worn or punctured. Furthermore such machines were not provided with safety features which are demanded in the present day production.

The footwear pressing machine embodying the present invention is an improvement upon machines of the prior type. The improvements comprise a power actuated mechanism for automatically operating the pivoted diaphragm on a pre-determined time cycle which is adjustable to press the footwear for only the period found to be the most suitable for the specific type of shoe. Thus defective articles of footwear resulting from insufcient pressing and time losses to operator and machine resulting from over-pressing are reduced.

In the operation of the machine, the shoe to be pressed is placed upon the stationary diaphragm while the pivoted diaphragm is in its opened envelope position. The operating cycle of the machine is started by a single movement of the operator, which causes the pivoted diaphragm to move to its sealed envelope position. Then the atmosphere is automatically evacuated from the envelope. After the article of footwear has been pressedrfor the desired pre-determined period of time by the diiierential of pressure between the inside and outside of the envelope, the pivoted diaphragm is automatically returned to the opened envelope position, or the starting point of the cycle, without the attention of the operator. The pressed shoe may then be removed from the bottom diaphragm, and the cycle of operations repeated.

For the purpose of further reducing machine and operator time losses, the pressing diaphragms are especially constructed and adapted to be installed quickly in the event replacement may be required by punctures or other defects therein. The machine has been further improved by the addition of safety features, such as safety shields and a diaphragm operating mechanism which keeps the operators hands away from moving parts and permits the pivoted diaphragm to move to its sealed envelope position solely by the action of gravity, and to its opened envelope position by positively applied power. The weight of the pivoted diaphragm and its frame being relatively small, the gravity closing force is not sufficiently great to injure the operators or his assistants hands should they be caught between the pivoted and stationary frames.

The foregoing and other advantages of the footwear press are further described in .the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational View of the pressing machine embodying this invention, and showing the pivoted diaphragm in its opened envelope position ready to receive the shoe to be pressed;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational View of the machine shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the pressing machine, showing the pivoted diaphragm removed therefrom and a shoe resting on the stationary diaphragm;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the under side of the pivoted diaphragm mounted in its sub-frame, as it would appear when removed from the main frame and turned through from its sealed envelope position;

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2 through the outer edge of the pivoted diaphragm while mounted on the sub-frame and secured to the main frame;

Fig. 6 is a cross sectional view of the outer edge of the stationary diaphragm mounted in its frame and supported on the main frame of the machine, which is taken on line 6 6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic View of the controls for operating the pivoted diaphragm, and automatically controlling the time cycle of the shoe pressing operation.

Referring particularly to Figs. l and 2, the shoe pressing machine embodying this invention comprises a stationary elastic impervious diaphragm i I mounted in a frame I2 which is supported on the top of the main machine frame I3. A pivotally movable elastic impervious diaphragm I4 is mounted in an upper frame I5 which is pivctally mounted on bearing bolts I5 secured in the frame I3 at each side thereof. The diaphragms i I and Ill may be made of rubber or rubber composition, including natural or synthetic rubber, or other suitable materials. A lasted shoe I1 containing layers of plastic and fabricy to be pressed is placed upon the stationary diaphragmY Il, as` shown in Fig. 3. The pivotally movable diaphragm E4 is adapted to be moved downwardly over the stationary diaphragm I I, and the larger marginal edges I8 of the pivoted diaphragm are adapted to i'lt over and be hermetically sealed against the smaller marginal edges I9 ofthe stationary diaphragm IIl to form an envelope around the shoe I1. The atmosphere within the envelope is evacuated therefrom through a conduit 2d which extends through the stationary diaphragm II, andv is secured thereto by means of a hollow metallic connection 2I hermetically sealed to the diaphragm. 'IheA sub-atmospheric pressure created within the envelope causes the outer atmospheric pressure to force the diaphragms II and I4 into intimate contact with the outer surfaces of the shoe I1 and thereby compact the layers thereof and evacuate the air that may be trapped between the layers.

'Ihe pivoted diaphragm I4` is adapted to descend against the stationary diaphragm il solely as a result of the forces of gravity acting thereon. It is adapted to be raised from its sealed envelope position toits opened envelope position, as shown in Fig. 2, by a double acting piston 22 (Fig. '1) connected to a piston rod 23 operating in a cylinder 24, which isy pivotally mounted on a bearing 25 at its lower end secured to the base of the machine frame I3. The outer end of the piston rod 23 is pivotally connected by a pin 26 to an arm 21 keyed to a rock shaft 28 oscillatably mounted in the machine frame I3 at its opposite ends. A pair of arms '29 are keyed to the outer ends of the rock shaft 28, and rollers 3G are rotatably mounted on the outer ends of the arms which bear against a bracket3 I'` on the pivotally movable frame I5. A gravity connection is thereby formed between theY actuating piston 22 and the pivoted diaphragm I4. When the piston rod 23 in the cylinder 24 moves outwardly, the rollers 33 roll along the bottom surfaces of the brackets 3l, and the pivoted diaphragm I4 thereby may be moved from its sealed' envelope position to its upper orl opened envelope position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The structure of the apparatus for controlling the piston in the cylinder 24 is shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but the controls are more clearly illustrated in the diagrammatic view in Fig. 7', to which reference is made in the description of the controls. As shown herein the iluid pressure actuated members are. preferably operated by air under pressure. The position occupied by the controls in Fig. '1 corresponds to the. opened envelope position of the diaphragm I4, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In such position,r the piston 22 in the cylinder 24 is maintained in its upward position by pressure fluid. admitted to the lower end of the cylinder, while the upper end of the cylinder is connected to the exhaust. The piston 22 is reciprocated in the cylinder 24 by alternately admitting and exhausting the pressure fluid t0 and from the opposite sides of the piston through the pipes 32 and 33, in which needle valves 35 and 36 are inserted to control the linear speed of the piston 22. The stroke of the piston 22 is cushioned at each end of the cylinder 24 by the ends. of the piston 22 restricting the exhaust to the pipesl 32 and 33 due to the reduced ends of the piston as they pass over the ports in the cylinder. The admission and exhaust of pressure-fluid to and from the pipes 32 and 33, as shown i' Fig. '1, is controlled by a master valve 31 containmg a piston actuated piston valve 38 reciprocable in the valve casing 39. In the full linev position shown, pressure fluid is being ad- 1 mitted from the pressure fluid supply line 4t through the branch 4D', the central valve port 4I, and the pipe 32 leading to the lower end of the actuating cylinder 24, and pressure fluid has been exhausted from the pipe 33. through the end exhaust valve port 42 to the exhaust pipe 43.

Assuming that the shoe l1 to be pressed has been placed on the stationary diaphragm II, the pivoted diaphragm I4 is caused to be moved by gravity to its sealed envelope position by reversing the connections of the pressure fluid supply and exhaust lines to the opposite ends of the cylinder 24. The reversal of the connections is made by movingl the valve 38 from the position shown in Fig. 7 to the opposite end of the casing 39 where the ends of the valve will occupy the position of the dotted lines 381. In. such dotted line position of the piston valve 38, the pressure uid supply port 4I in the valve 38 connects the pressure iiuid supply line 43 to the pipe 33 leading to the upper end of the cylinder 24, and such port is disconnected from the pipe 32 leading to the lower end of the cylinder 24. In the same position, the endV valve exhaust port 44 connects the latter pipe 32 to the exhaust pipe 43.

The piston valve 38 is reciprocated by the admission of pressure fluid alternately to the opposite ends 45 and 46 of the valve casing 39 against the pistons 41 and 49 on the ends of the valve-3B. After the elapse of a given period from the time the valve 38 reaches either end of the valve casing 39, the pressure in the piston chambers at the ends thereof is reduced to atmosphericl pressure by the pressure fluid being bled through small passages 49 and 5I) in the ends 45 and 46 of the valve casing 39. Therefore the movement of the valvel 38 is not impeded, excepting by the force required to expel the residual fluid through the passages 49 and 50.

The movement of the piston valve 38 from the full line position to the dotted line position for the purpose of moving the pivoted diaphragm I4 to its sealed envelope position is manually controlled, and the movement of the valve 38 from the dotted line position to the full line position for the purpose of moving the diaphragm I4 to its opened envelope position is effected by the automatic operation of the piston valve 3B. The manual control comprises two valve handles 5I and 52, which are adapted to operate two valves 53 and 54 connected in series between the pressure fluid supply line 40 and the valve piston 41. When the valves 53 and 54 are opened the pressure fluid flows from supply line 4U through the pipe 55 extending to the valve 53, the pipe 56 extending between the valves 53 and 54, and the pipe 51 leading from the valve 54 to the piston 41. The valves 53 and 54 are opened by moving the handles 5I and 52 laterally in any direction, and they are closed by a spring therein (not shown) when the handles are released. The. two

valve handles are provided as a safety precaution. In that respect their function is to require the use of both hands of the operator at the same time to start the operation of the machine, and thereby keep the hands of the operator away from all moving parts in which they may be caught. Upon the admission of pressure fluid against the valve piston 41, the piston valve 38 is moved from its full line position to its dotted line position so as to admit pressure fluid to the top end of the cylinder 24 and exhaust it from the bottom end. The piston rod 23 is thereby moved downwardly, carrying with it the diaphragm supporting rollers 30, and the pivoted diaphragm I4 is thereby permitted to descend solely by the action of gravity thereon to its sealed envelope position.V

After the formation of the envelope around the shoe I1, the atmosphere is withdrawn from the envelope through the vacuum pipe 20 (Fig. 2), which is adapted to be connected to the main vacuum line 58 by a spring closed cut-off valve 591. The valve is provided with an actuating plunger 80 which is operated by an adjustable pin 8| supported on an arm 82, which is keyed to the rock shaft 28 operated by the actuating piston rod 23. The pin 6| makes contact with the plunger 99 and opens the valve 59 immediately before the end of the downward stroke of the piston rod 23. The degree of vacuum produced in the envelope is registered by a gauge 84 connected by a pipe 65 to the vacuum pipe 20 between the valve 59 and the diaphragm The vacuum valve 59 remains open during the shoe pressing operation, the duration of which is automatically controlled by the time required for the pressure iiuid to build up a pre-determined pressure in a branched pipeline 68 (Fig. '1) connected by a pipe 66a to the pipe 33 which supplies pressure fluid to the top of the cylinder 24. After the predetermined pressure has been reached, pressure uid from the main supply line 49 is admitted against the piston 48 on the piston valve 38, and moves the latter from the dotted line position to the full line position, so as to reverse the connections of the pressure fluid supply and exhaust lines with the top and bottom chambers in the cylinder 24. The time required for the pressure to build up in the branch line 66 is determined by the rate of now of pressure l fluid through a throttle valve 61 therein, and also by the size of an expansion chamber 88 which is inserted in the branch line between the valve 61 and a valve casing 69, which contains a piston 10 adapted to be operated by the built up pressure in the pipe 66 against a spring 1| and operate a valve 12 connected by a stem 13 to the piston 19. When the predetermined pressure is built up in the pipe 86, the valve 12 is opened, and admits pressure iluid from the main supply line 49, through pipes 49a and 40h, against the piston 48 of the master piston valve 38, and thereby moves it over to the full line position shown in Fig. '1. Upon the upward movement of the piston rod 23, the diaphragm I4 is moved to its opened envelope position, and during the first portion of the movement the vacuum valve 59 (Fig. 2) is permitted to be closed when the pin 6| releases the valve plunger 69.

In addition to the safety features provided by the gravity descending diaphragm I4 and the two operating valves 5| and 52 to prevent the operator from being injured, a shield 15 is attached to the diaphragm operating arm 29 by screws 16 on each side of the machine. The

shield 15 prevents the operator-s or his assistants hands from being caught between the arm 29 and the top of the stationary diaphragm frame I2 when the arm is rocked downward.

For the purpose of reducing the time required for changing the pivoted diaphragm I4 and replacing it with another, the diaphragm is mounted in a sub-frame 11 as shown in Fig. 4, and is adapted to be arxed to the main swing frame 18 as shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 5. The diaphragm I4 is secured in the sub-frame 11 by clamping its marginal edges 19 between lower and upper U-shaped bands 8U of metal with screws 8|. The fourth side of the diaphragm I4 is provided with a fold 82 within which is inserted a rod 83.

The underside of the diaphragm I4 is shown in Fig. 4, and the sub-frame 11 in which it is secured is attached to the main swing frame 18, shown in Fig. 3, by turning it through 180 degrees from the position shown in Fig. 4 so' that its front edge 84 matches with the front edge 85 of the main swing frame 18. In such position studs 88 on each of the sides of the main frame 18 extend upwardly through holes 81 in the subframe 11. As shown in Fig. 2, the sub-frame is secured to the main frame 18 by wing nuts 88 which are turned downwardly on the studs 86. This operation secures three sides of the diaphragm I4 to the main swing frame 18. The fourth side is secured in place by inserting the pins 89 and 90 on the opposite ends of the rod 83 into the sockets 9| and 92 in the bearing bolts I6 for the main swing frame 18. The pin 90 is rigid with the rod 13, and is shorter than the pin 89, which is longer than the depth of the socket 9|. The pin 89 is slidable in a bore in the rod 83, and it is pressed outwardly by a spring 93. The pin 89 is retained in the bore in the rod by a pin 94 which operates in a slot 95 in the rod and limits the movement of the pin 89. The rod 83 is secured in the sockets 9| and 92 by first inserting the spring press pin 89 into the socket 9| until the end of the pin reaches the bottom of the socket and then further compressing the spring 93 until the rigid pin 90 can be moved over the face of the socket 92 and inserted therein by reversing movement of the rod 83. The ends of the rod 83 will then be held in the sockets by the action of the spring 93. That construction has the advantage of allowing the rubber diaphragm I4 to be retained in the sub-frame 11 without substantially any tension thereon when the frame is not in use, and when it is installed in the main frame 18, the diaphragm can be placed under tension by stretching the fourth side when the rod 83 is inserted in the sockets 9| and 92. The construction also results in a simpliiication of the subframe 11 so as to bring the pivoted edge of the diaphragm in line with the pivoted axis of the main swing frame 18 which is the correct arrangement for forming a seal between that edge of the pivoted diaphragm and the matching edge of the stationary diaphragm Due to the construction of the stationary diaphragm II, it can also be replaced quickly when required. As shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 6 the stationary diaphragm is clamped between two four sided frame members 96 and 91 by screws 98 which extend through the member 91 and are threaded into the member 96. The frame member 91 rests on top of the main frame I3, and the heads of the screws 98 fit into openings 99 in the top flange |00 on the main frame I3.

The4 fitting 2| whichV connects the vacullmline 2.0 to the diaphragm ll is; made,l of upper and lower parts lill and 1.02 between which the diaphragm I4 is, clamped by screwing a stem on the upper part lillv into the lower part |02. A s tem. onthe latter part E02v extends throughA an over sized hole in a plate i163., which is ailixed to a-v cross support 104 by screws 105. -(Fig. 3).l The stem on the lowerfitting part H32 being smaller than the hole in the plate E93., the fitting is ca pable of wobbling inall directions to permit the diaphragm toadjust itself more accurately to the contour of the shoe when the` interior of the envelope is subjected to` the sub-atmospheric pressure. In orderto remove the diaphragm l l with its frame l2, the parts l! and 192 of the fitting 2li are uncoupled, and then the frame can be lifted from the main frame i3, and replaced, with another.

While the preferred embodiment of this inv vention hasl been shown and described herein more or lessin detail, it will, be understood that changes in the details thereof may be made-with.- out departing from the spirit of this invention and the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:`

1. A shoe pressing machine comprising a stationary flexible diaphragm adapted to receive a shoe to beA pressed, a pivoted iiexible diaphragm having marginal edges adapted to be sealed against, corresponding edges of said stationary diaphragm and form an envelope around said shoe, means movable with said pivoted diaphragm for connecting a sub-atmospheric pressure line to said envelope upon said diaphragm reaching, said sealed envelope position, means including a prime mover for actuating said pivoted diaphragm from its sealed envelope position to an opened envelope position and supporting said pivoted diaphragm in said opened envelope position, anda gravity connection interposed between said pivoted diaphragm and said prime mover, whereby said prime mover may move independently of said pivoted diaphragm in the direction required to permit, said pivoted diaphragm to return by gravity to its sealed envelope position.

2. In a shoe pressing machine, a pivotally actuated pressing diaphragm, a sub-frame to which said diaphragm is secured on three sides, said fourth side of` said diaphragm having a bar secured thereto independently of said sub-frame and extending throughout the greater portion of the length of' said fourth side, a vpivoted main frame for said diaphragm, means for securing said sub-frame to said main frame, and means for securing the ends of said bar on the pivotal axis of said main frame.

3. In a shoe pressing machine having a pivoted diaphragm as in claim 2, wherein said bar comprises a rod which extends through a fold on the fourth side of said diaphragm, a bearing member forming said pivotal axes and having sockets concentric therewith, said bar having projecting ends adapted to be seated in said sockets, and one of said projecting ends comprising a spring pressed detent adapted to be depressed and inserted in one of said sockets to permit the other end of said bar to be inserted in the other socket.

4. In a shoe pressing machine having change' able stationary and pivoted diaphragms, a frame for said stationary diaphragm supported on top of said machine against lateral and downward displacement but freely movable upwards., a, Suhr frame for retaining three sides of said pivoted diaphragm, a pivoted main frame, removable fas.- tenersfor securing said sub-frame to said main frame, a bar secured to the fourth side of said pivoteddiaphragm and having its ends removable from sockets on the axis of the pivotal bearing for said main frame.

5. A shoe pressing machine comprising a fixed frame,- a relatively lightweight frame positioned above and pivotally connected to said xed frame, a flexible elastic diaphragm secured in each of said frames, said diaphragm in said pivoted frame being adapted to be superimposed upon said, diaphragm in said fixed frame to form a sealed envelope about a shoe, means for producing a subatmosphericA pressure between said superimposed diaphragms, a double acting power piston for operating said pivoted frame, a gravity connection between said piston and said pivoted frame adapted to permit said piston to raise said pivoted frame on one stroke and to move independently of said pivoted frame on its return stroke for lowering said frame to superimpose the diaphragm therein upon said diaphragm in said xed frame, a control mechanism for said power piston comprising a manually controlled means for admitting pressure fluid against one side of said power piston to lower said pivoted frame, an expansion chamber connected to the said one side of the said power piston, means responsive to the pressure in said expansion chamber for automatically admitting pressure fluid to the other side of said power piston to raise said pivoted frame a predetermined time after said manually controlled means has been actuated.

6. A shoe pressing machine comprising a fixed frame, a relatively lightweight frame positioned above and pivotally connected to said xed frame, a flexible elastic diaphragm secured in each of said frames,A said diaphragm in said pivoted frame being adapted to be superimposed upon said diaphragm in said fixed frame to form a sealed envelope about a shoe, means for producing a subatmospheric pressure between said superimposed diaphragms, a double acting power piston for operating said pivoted frame, a rock shaft actuated by said double acting piston, an arm on each end of said rock shaft, one end of each of said arms being attached to said rock shaft and the other end of each arm being adapted to bear upwardly against said pivoted frame and to move downwardly independently of said pivoted frame, and a plate-like shield attached to each of said arms for protecting the machine operator. l

HERBERT R. POLLEYS.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,181,083 Moore Apr. 25, 1916 1,337,532 Stuart Apr. 20, 1920 1,872,693 Drake Aug. 23, 1932 1,881,628 Jennejohn s Oct. 11, 1932 1,977,119 De Mattia Oct. 16, 1934 1,984,768 Shook Dec. 18, 1934 1,987,173 Willey Jan. 8, 1935 2,231,254 Cleveland Feb. 11, 1941 2,317,151 Macdonald Apr. 20, 1943 2,390,030 Paulson Nov. 27, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number v. Y Country Date I827,949 Great Britain Apr. 1.4i.y 1930 

